- What this page is about
- The right to advice and information for homeless people
- British and Irish citizens and their family members
- European nationals
- People from outside the EEA
- Other housing services for people who aren't eligible
What this page is about
This page describes how your immigration status or European Union rights determine if you are eligible:
- for housing if you are homeless from your local council; or
- to join your local council’s allocation scheme (i.e. housing register or waiting list) for a council or housing association tenancy.
Your rights to these depend on whether you are an EEA national or from outside the EEA. This page also tells you about your right to advice if you are at risk of becoming homeless and other ways to find housing if you aren’t eligible.
The right to advice and information for homeless people
Since April 2018, every local council must make sure that free advice and information is available to everyone in their area to help prevent you from becoming homelessness, if you are at risk, or help you find accommodation if you are actually homeless. This right is for everyone, regardless of immigration status or right to reside, and there are certain groups of people, such as those leaving hospital or council care, whom the council must make sure can access this advice and information.
British and Irish citizens and their family members
If you are a British or Irish citizen you are entitled to housing and assistance if you are homeless provided that you are habitually resident or if you have been deported or removed from another country to the UK. If you are the family member of a British or Irish citizen your rights depend on the immigration status you have: see the British and Irish family members page.
European nationals
If you are a European national (known here as EEA nationals) you are eligible for housing if:
- you have been granted settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you are ‘habitually resident’ in the British isles or Ireland; or
- you have an EEA ‘right to reside’ that qualifies you for housing.
You have an EEA right to reside that qualifies you for housing if:
- you are a worker or self-employed person.
- you have retained your worker/self-employed status while being temporarily unable to work due to sickness or unemployment etc: see EEA workers and self-employed people.
- in certain circumstances, you are studying or you are self-sufficient, provided also that you are habitually resident: see Other EEA nationals.
- you have acquired the right to reside through long-term residence in which you were exercising one of the rights above and you are habitually resident.
- you are the family member of an eligible EEA national who has one of the rights above (even if you are not an EEA national yourself).
But you aren’t eligible for housing if you have never worked in the UK, if you entered the UK looking for work, or if you have been looking for over six months – even though you have the right to continue living here: see EEA workers and self-employed people.
People from outside the EEA
If you are a citizen of a country from outside the EEA, you are generally subject to immigration control and you are disqualified from help with housing, unless:
- you are a refugee or you have been granted humanitarian protection or discretionary leave following your application for asylum;
- you are an Afghan Interpreter who entered the UK under the special programme for support staff to UK forces, provided your leave doesn’t include a no public funds condition;
- you have five years limited leave as a stateless person provided also that you pass the habitual residence test;
- you have indefinite leave to remain provided you pass the habitual residence test.
In any other case if you are from outside the EEA, including if you have limited leave you aren’t eligible for housing and homelessness help.
Other housing services for people who aren’t eligible
If you aren’t eligible for housing from the council you may be able to rent from a private landlord. In an emergency, you may be able to get accommodation from social services if you have social care needs or you are fleeing domestic violence. In any other case you may be able to get help from a charity if you are homeless and destitute.
